See how excessive cigarette consumption contributes to the emergence of respiratory diseases such as COPD.
COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the small airways, terminal and respiratory bronchioles, causing obstruction of these small tubes.
The air comes in, but it has difficulty getting out, part of this air being stored in the lung with each inspiration, which makes the patient later have difficulty breathing.
to breathe.
This obstruction occurs gradually over time, for this reason it ends up being called chronic. When this process takes place, it is irreversible, that is, the damaged bronchioles and alveoli do not regenerate.
As the lung is a regenerative organ with high functional reserves, it takes time for the patient to show symptoms.
What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). – SYMPTOMS
As a result of this obstruction, the patient usually presents with three main symptoms.
The first is shortness of breath, at the beginning of the condition the patient presents a condition of shortness of breath in great efforts such as climbing stairs for example.
Over time he becomes more tired in medium and minimal efforts, and gets to the point of having shortness of breath with simple activities such as a simple change of clothes for example.
Later reaching the most dramatic scene where he gets tired even while resting.
The second common symptom of COPD is wheezing. That thin little noise heard in inspiration and breathing.
the third symptom is chronic cough, ie cough followed for more than two months.
Another feature is that these symptoms are generally silent and get worse over time, especially if exposure to the inhalant toxic agent persists.
In this period far from evolution, it is very common for the person with COPD to have a viral or bacterial infection, and evolve into an acute crisis called an exacerbation.
Exacerbation is an abrupt worsening of existing symptoms. So what happens are three main symptoms;
worsening cough, increased lung secretion, and shortness of breath. Fever, chest pain, and wheezing may also occur.
Faced with this exacerbation, the patient needs to know very well about these symptoms because it is usually a crisis that leads the patient to seek emergency care if the situation worsens.
What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). – CAUSES
What Causes COPD For most people who develop the disease, smoking is the main factor. COPD usually affects smokers over sixty-five years of age and who have smoked approximately one pack a day for over twenty years.
In addition to cigarettes, exposure to toxic fumes, occupational dust, or prolonged use of wood stoves at home can also cause the disease. These cases are much less frequent, but they can happen.
If you smoke and have any of these symptoms, see a doctor for a clinical evaluation with physical examination and complementary tests that will make a diagnosis.
This exam is called a pulmonary function test, which will characterize the obstructive problem that will make the diagnosis of COPD.
What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). – TREATMENT
The main treatment for this disease is to stop smoking.
Pharmacological treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms with the famous firecrackers to reduce symptoms and the chances of the patient evolving into an exacerbation.
In cases of exacerbations, treatment is done with medication and the patient needs to be hospitalized for ventilatory support, invasive invasive in the most serious cases.
Other important data for you to know is that COPD is a much more serious disease than you might think. According to data from WHO reveal that COPD is the third leading cause of death in the world.
In Brazil, it is among the top five causes, second only to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Therefore, if you smoke, or have someone you know who smokes, be aware of the symptoms that we have discussed here and ask them to see a doctor who can be a general practitioner, or preferably a pulmonologist.
